The present invention relates to skin cleansing compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to skin cleansing compositions effective against a broad range of soils and microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeast, molds, protozoan, and viruses. The skin cleansing compositions of the present invention, which can be incorporated into various products such as wet wipes, lotions, soaps, tampons, facial tissue, bath tissue etc. incorporate anionic particles or microfibers, such as carboxymethylcellulose microfibers, which have an effective charge density of from about 0.1 microequivalents/g to about 500 milliequivalents/g, or more. When the cleansing composition contacts the skin, the anionic particles or microfibers contained within the cleansing composition contact the skin and contaminants and dislodge the contaminants from the skin. In some embodiments, the cleansing composition can be utilized in combination with a substrate such that when the contaminant is dislodged from the skin, it is bound to the substrate and removed from the skin surface.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. As a boundary layer, the skin performs several major functions: it maintains the body at a correct temperature, holds in essential fluids, and protects against toxic agents, microorganisms, and the sun""s potentially harmful rays. Proper skin maintenance is essential for good health. For most people, proper skin maintenance begins with daily cleansing.
Human skin is exposed to various contaminants daily through both contacts with various biological fluids such as urine and feces as well as contact with numerous environmental factors. Examples of contaminants that the skin contacts everyday include both gram negative and gram positive bacteria, yeast, fungi, mold, protozoan and viruses. Although most microbes are negatively charged due to their chemistry and structures, they can adhere to skin, which is also typically negatively charged, through electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions and ligand interactions. Although these attachment mechanisms are not completely understood, their cumulative effect can tightly bind numerous microbes such as Candida albicans to skin resulting in inflammation, irritation and/or infection. Further, numerous other microbes, microbial metabolic products, and inorganic debris also contact and foul skin on a daily basis.
The above-listed contaminants, as well as numerous others, are often irritating to the skin and can initiate an elaborate cascade of immunological events upon contact with skin cells. Ultimately, these events may lead to severe skin irritation, inflammation, and even infection. Skin cleaning on a daily basis can prevent or minimize skin irritation and inflammation caused by the immunological events.
Conventionally, cleaning of the skin has included any activity that kills, binds and/or removes contaminants present on the skin""s surface. Traditionally, skin cleaning has been accomplished through the use of compositions such as solution-based skin cleaning products, bath tissues, facial tissues, and wet wipes. Wet wipes are especially preferred by many for cleaning of urine and fecal material from babies or elderly adults. Most wet wipes commercially available contain microbiocidal agents that are typically highly effective against numerous microbes.
Microbiocidal agents contained in many wet wipes and other cleaning agents may, however, irritate the skin of some users due to the potentially harsh chemicals utilized to provide the antimicrobial effect. As such, although wet wipes are generally effective in cleaning and maintaining healthy skin, some wet wipes may be unsuitable for use by some people. Some wet wipes utilized contain harsh surfactants and/or alcohol or other additives which, while effective against numerous microbes, may dry out or chafe skin. Further, use of microbiocidal agents contained in many wet wipes around open wounds is generally discouraged as the killed microbes may cause further inflammation if they enter the open wounds. Therefore, a need exists in the art for alternative cleaning methods that do not irritate, chafe, or otherwise damage the skin of the user. Further, a need exists for alternative cleaning methods that simply remove microbes and soil from the skin surface without killing the microbes and risking further infection of open wounds.
The present invention provides a cleansing formulation, a method of using the cleansing formulation, and products incorporating the cleansing formulation. The cleansing formulation of the present invention is highly effective in dislodging numerous bacteria, fungi, yeast, molds, protozoan, viruses, soils, and other substances from the skin""s surface. The cleansing formulations of the present invention do not necessarily kill the microbes on the skin""s surface. The cleanser will dislodge the microbes or other contaminants through electrostatic interactions between the skin surface and contaminant. Release of the contaminant allows for removal from the surface of the skin. It has been discovered that by providing a cleansing solution comprising anionic particles or microfibers having an effective charge density of from about 0.1 microequivalents/g to about 500 milliquivalents/g or more, numerous microbes can be electrostatically dislodged from the skin""s surface and ultimately be removed. The anionic particle-containing cleansing solutions of the present invention, which may be used in combination with a wet wipe, for example, are safe for use around wounds in the skin as microbes are removed from the skin surface without a substantial risk of rupturing and thus the risk of introduction of byproducts from the microbe into wounds is minimized or eliminated.
Briefly, therefore, the present invention is directed to a wet wipe comprising a fibrous sheet material and a cleansing solution capable of dislodging contaminants from skin. The cleansing solution comprises from about 0.001 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) to about 10 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) of anionic particles having a diameter of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers and an effective charge density of from about 0.1 microequivalents/g to about 500 milliequivalents/g.
The invention is further directed to a wet wipe comprising a fibrous sheet material and a cleansing solution capable of dislodging contaminants from skin. The cleansing solution has a pH of from about 2 to about 9 and comprises from about 0.001 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) to about 10 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) of anionic particles having a diameter of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers and an effective charge density of from about 0.1 microequivalents/g to about 500 milliequivalents/g.
The invention is further directed to a cleansing solution suitable for direct application to skin capable of dislodging contaminants from skin. The cleansing solution comprises from about 0.001 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) to about 10 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) of anionic particles having a diameter of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers and an effective charge density of from about 0.1 microequivalents/g to about 500 milliequivalents/g.
The invention is further directed to a cleansing solution suitable for direct application to skin capable of dislodging contaminants from skin. The solution has a pH of from about 2 to about 9 and comprises from about 0.001 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) to about 10 mg/(mL of cleansing solution) of anionic particles having a diameter of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers and an effective charge density of from about 0.1 microequivalents/g to about 500 milliequivalents/g.
The invention is further directed to a product comprising a substrate comprising anionic particles capable of dislodging contaminants from skin. The substrate comprises from about 0.001 mg/(g of substrate) to about 10 mg/(g of substrate) of anionic particles having a diameter of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers and an effective charge density of from about 0.1 microequivalents/g to about 500 milliequivalents/g.
Other objects and features of this invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.